Kepler Track

Heyoooo Eioooooo,

I hope everything is fine with you. You won't believe it, but I've actually reached the point where I've written all my blog posts and now I have to experience new adventures before I can post any more posts.

The reason for this is, and this is 50% sad and 50% funny, that I am currently stuck in Manapouri because I may have damaged my car again. This time, however, it is absolutely 100% my own fault. When I was pulling out of Fridolin-Christopher's parking space, I had a tree in my blind spot, I was too distracted and pulled out too quickly. And bang, after 12 years of having a driving license, I caused my first self-inflicted damage. I will definitely learn something from this and would rather have it happen to me with the car here than with my car at home. Thanks to the last accident, I also have full insurance and so the damage is at least covered with a €200 deductible. Now I am currently waiting for the rear light I ordered to arrive at the workshop in Te Anau so that it can be installed. In the meantime, I have used the time here and done nothing or chilled and written my posts.

Something has also happened with the insurance of the last car and after a mere four weeks the other insurance company contacted me and wanted to make an appointment at the garage and have my junk towed there. Well, I'll have to check with them again to see what the current status is.

After I overlooked the tree, I went for a hike to clear my head and sort out my feelings and anger. I went on the first part or the last part of the Kepler Track multi-day hiking trail. This is one of the 10 big multi-day hikes and is the only one that was created just for the hikers' enjoyment and does not follow an expedition route or a Maori route. I walked the first 3 hours of the track and it is really beautiful.

The hiker also notices that this path was created for pleasure, as the track is quite wide throughout and is more of a walking path than a proper hiking path. At least here at the beginning - as it is a multi-day hike that also has a few meters of elevation, I assume that this will change later on. At the end of my little tour I arrived back at Lake Manapouri, where I had already been by boat a few days earlier.

The view and the water quality were really great, but I have to say that I didn't want to stay here any longer because the sandflies had discovered me and these creatures are really a nuisance. As long as I walk it's fine but as soon as I stop I get sucked alive.

Then I went back to my brave Fridolin-Ferdinand and the bump I had caused. Unfortunately, it hadn't disappeared by magic - what bad luck!

On the way back, I was thrilled to see another scene from the Lord of the Rings film: the Anduin River, on which the Fellowship traveled in their boats.

After this great walk, which was definitely important for my spiritual well-being, I went back to the campsite and then I started to organize my accident and called insurance companies and various garages so that I could be back on the road in one piece as quickly as possible. Apart from a cracked rear light, the dent is just a pretty ugly dent but I want to have it fixed as quickly as possible because of the value of the car. The garage in Te Anau ordered a rear light for me but they have a waiting list of up to 3 months to fix the dent. So I made an appointment in Christchurch at the end of May because I was planning to go back there anyway to meet up with Sophia and Anna to drive to the North Island.

Well, so much for all the insurance issues. I hope things go better with your cars than mine, but luckily no one (except Fridolin-Christopher) was hurt this time either.

Now I have to wait and in the meantime I'll send out a few more applications for the North Island. You'll get a new update as soon as I'm back on tour and have had a few more adventures.

Until then, enjoy reading my last few weeks and see you denski!

Your Britta